Cannot be 100% of cource. But I see alot of APs in the box, and the big convoy consisting of APs and other ships vanished somehow from right under our noses...

CR is the most verbose SOB on the forum. Best send an message to discuss. Be forewarned, he is excruciating honorable, even if the ships went into the wormhole while automatically fleeing a threat, CR will serve them up on a silver platter in the spirit of fairness

I agree, you should discuss with CR because open comms is always good.

Having said that, I don't find this gamey, but rather an unfortunate "feature" of the map edge. Without a map edge, you didn't have sufficient assets there to trap them; they would have had 2 more directions with plenty of sea room to flee (I think someone else also mentioned that above). If you had had forces between them and the map edge, and then they had managed to worm-hole out ... but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Darwin and Cebu has fallen. We got 8 B17Ds on the ground at Cebu, I wonder how that happened.

Darwin, and most of northern Australia was captured by 4 tank regiments. If Canoe had put a single Australia division up here, he would have held the place for the entire game. I was not planning to invade here, but the lack of defences more or less forced me to attack. Who would not capture an undefended Darwin? I wonder where he has put the Australian divisions, and the A24s and P40s... probably around Sydney.

The arrival of the 4th Bde at Anchorage managed to get a 1-1 odds. Look at this CR. This seems to be some sort of Alamo. Im ordering a shock attack tomorrow.

Over Vancouver, we took down most of the Kittyhawks on the map. If I remember correctly, the RCAF only has something like 20 Kittyhawks at this stage of the war. Our sweep with 50-something Zeros took down roughly 30 allied fighters for 13 own losses.

Finally Anchorage falls. That was a real nightmare. A single US (sep) Infantry Regiment held out for over a month against the full force of a Japanese division and two brigades. I think it must have been a combination of terrain, the abundance of support troops, and the presence of the Alaska Command HQ that together created the perfect storm.

I think my troops lost close to 400 AV in this battle. And now I have to do it all again at Kodiak where another (Sep) infantry regiment waits for my troops.

_____________________________

The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences..

I had alot of high-value US ships cornered. Several APs, AOs, TKs, AEs, etc. I had a CS a couple of hexes away, and the enemy ships were without anywhere to run. From the north came 4 of my CVs, to the west, my CS with escorts, to the east, the map-edge. The only way was south, and I was "herding" the US ships with my CS while I was waiting for the CVs to arrive.

Then, the next turn, all the US ships were gone. Completely vanished from the face of the ocean. I spent another turn looking around, in case they had made an unexpected full-speed run, or broken up the convoy...nothing.

Then I spotted them in the Panama in-box. So, he saved his 10-15 high-value ships by moving them off the map, while I had ships not two hexes away.

Fair?

Yes, I have done it as the Allies. In the old WITP it was a common tactic to corner escaping units at the map edge and destroy them. They could not get away and a lot of players cried about this (rightly so). This was a solution. Not perfect but it is they way it works now and not a secret to either side. Barring a house rule that would prevent it (which I believe no sane Allied player would consent to) this is not gamey at all. It is the way the system works and it has been around for almost three years now. Yes, perhaps a little unfair to negate your hard work but anytime either player operates near the map edge they should expect some limitations. CR's only other option would have been to wait for you or sail right into you. That is not fair either. I know this is an AFB "tainted" opinion but I think it is correct..

I should add that if the Allied player were to exploit this by hiding a combat force in abush off the map then that would be very gamey and I would pitch a fit. Also, if he was using the TF as a trick to lure you away then you would have a very good complaint. However, for vulnerable or damaged ships to escape, then yes it is OK. CR is a straight shooter. He really is the last person that I could possibly think of to pull of gamey stuff.

There really is no front up there. I have taken the ground I want to take, and now I just need to mop up all the bases behind me. Im setting up for a major defensive battle up here in a year or so, and therefore I need to clear everything out as soon as possible so I can start working on the defenses.

_____________________________

The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences..

I generally don't comment in any aars, but wanted to thank you for an interesting read. I am really enjoying this approach to delaying the allies from the west coast of Canada and Alaska. It is my understanding that you can't just go in and hide on map edges. The fleets/convoys will have to go all the way to the base. My experiance has only been with AI games, so i don't know if there is a way to stop convoys once they enter the shute. This can be good as you have delayed his supplies and deployments by about a month by forcing them off map.

Thanks! It is a new approach for me too. At first I only intended to take the bases around Adak, but when Canoe decided not to defend anything, I thought I'd see how far I could get. Now Im all the way to Canada, and in a position to attack the B29 factories at Seattle one day....

_____________________________

The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences..

ORIGINAL: Panzerjaeger Hortlund Now Im all the way to Canada, and in a position to attack the B29 factories at Seattle one day....

Ah, well, it will certainly cost Canoerebel some supplies to repair them, but considering that this game has just entered 1942 it is pretty safe to assume that by April 1944 he will have repaired the damage. Or do you really plan to take Seattle with ground units?

ORIGINAL: Panzerjaeger Hortlund Now Im all the way to Canada, and in a position to attack the B29 factories at Seattle one day....

Ah, well, it will certainly cost Canoerebel some supplies to repair them, but considering that this game has just entered 1942 it is pretty safe to assume that by April 1944 he will have repaired the damage. Or do you really plan to take Seattle with ground units?

Repair is trivial for the Allied player. The true value is in the VPs generated by damaging industry. As he repairs the VPs can be harvested over and over, are cumulative, and cannot be lost from the Japanese VP register. Once secured they are permanent VPs.

February is drawing to a close, and the final preparations for Operation Natalie are being set in motion. Four divisions are being moved from Manila to Batavia. There they will meet up with a fifth. These units will be the landing force. Another division will ship from Georgetown, making it six divisions in all.

6 BBs are at Cam Rahn Bay together with 1 CVL, 2 CVEs and 2 CVs. These will provide the cover for the invasion fleet. I am also moving airunits towards Bangkok so I can quickly fly in fighters to the target base. I already have bases in Burma that enables me to put CAP over the invasion beaches.

Im estimating that the invasion fleet will take about three weeks to move from Batavia to Chittagong, so there is not much time to spare now. In 10-14 days the ships must be loaded and ready at Batavia.

_____________________________

The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences..

Right now I am in the process of eliminating dot-bases on the western side of Sumatra, and between Soerebaja and Timor, this to prevent any coast watcher sightings during the opening moves.

The plan is to have the CVEs with fighters only together with the invasion fleet. The CVs will have a more free-roaming role, where they will sometimes lead ahead of the invasion force and sometimes veer off to one side to provide cover from possible allied CVs in the Indian Ocean or around Ceylon. Another CV force, with another 2 CVs are on the way to Tokyo to replenish airwings, they will trail behind the invasion force.

All in all, Im expecting 2 CVs to be able to handle pretty much anything the USN can throw at me right now. I doubt he has his 4 CVs together and in position. Most likely they are on convoy escort duty, or possibly defending Australia or India.

I will also launch a huge feint, with 40-50 xAKs that will go towards Karachi, this should also draw away any patrolling allied CVs away from the troop transports. The key passage will be the western side of Sumatra, after that, the ships will go on the inside of Port Blair (lvl 1 airfield, 100% damage) skirt the coast of Burma and then to the target.

_____________________________

The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences..

Does capturing dot bases truly prevent coast watcher sightings from those dot bases? I know developed bases still give off coast watcher sightings in the coast watcher zone, but I'm unsure on dot bases.

Oh well... I still think a red dot gives less intel than an allied dot.

5th of March. At Batavia, troops of the first wave have finished debarking transports from the Philippines. Now they will move to faster and better suited ships. The process is expected to take 4-5 days, and after that the invasion fleet sails. Yamato will refuel at Cam Rahn Bay tomorrow, and then head to Batavia to lead the SCTF protecting the fleet. Two CVs are between Australia and Java, probing, waiting. Two CVEs and one CVL is at Batavia with the fleet. Two other CVs will reach Batavia in a week...

I dont think Canoe has seen this one coming...should be interesting. By now he should be getting intel that I have troops in Batavia, at the same time, they are all prepping for Australian targets. With a little luck, he will think Im moving towards Perth...

_____________________________

The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences..

Not too good.. I have been doing a couple of strategic attacks that have made little impression on me or the score. The last sweep I did achieved roughly 1-1 ratio, which is far too bad considering I lose most of my pilots while he retains most of his. Im only exchanging rookie pilots though, since the Zero units I have there are fresh from Japan.

_____________________________

The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences..

Soerebaja is about to fall, after that, all that remains is Singapore and northern Sumatra. I am very close to achieving my at-start objectives now. And on top of that, as a bonus, we also have most of the northern Pacific all the way down to Canada. Darwin has fallen, and Port Moresby will fall aswell within a couple of days. The lack of defences in northern Australia and at Port Moresby means I get those places for free.

In about three days I will start loading the first wave to Chittagong. 14th Army will lead the assault with 2 divisions and a brigade. That is roughly 1000 AV that should be enough to capture the place. Two-three days behind the first wave, the 25th Army with another 3 divisions will follow. All in all, Im expecting to put 3000 AV into northern India.

I will try to give the impression that Im going for Perth and/or the islands in the Indian Ocean.

_____________________________

The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences..

In about three days I will start loading the first wave to Chittagong. 14th Army will lead the assault with 2 divisions and a brigade. That is roughly 1000 AV that should be enough to capture the place.

As Allies, I recombine the 17th Indian Division here. One brigade starts at Karachi and another at Rangoon. So that division would be 100% prepped and I add one of the mobile CD units. It 'might' be tougher to overcome than you are expecting. Those transports will need a CA or BB in the TF.

I get the eerie feeling Im being expected. Todays paradrops were both expected. We failed at one of the bases, but managed to capture the other. This thanks to the tank unit defending it was in a bad op-mode. Strat I presume, since it is weird to see a paradrop take out a tank brigade.

If Im reading the map right, there is no way for Canoe to rail reinforcements to Chittagong right now. This should buy enough time for the invasion fleet to arrive. It will take at least a week for Canoe to march in troops and attack the paras. By then, the invasion fleet should be just offshore Chittagong.